Amazing Spiderman 2

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I feel as though finally my predictions for the potential of Andrew Garfield's acting ability have finally reached a claimable correctness since the first time I saw him in channel 4's 'Boy A'. 

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Not only does he portray a rawness and subtlety in his emotion and speech, he claims every path his territory as his physicality seems to sing at us through the screen. The script provided light comedy and a playfulness that only Garfield could have embodied so brilliantly. A particular favourite moment to reflect this is in the park, once reunited as "friends" with the almost equally endearing Gwen. As he winds himself around the tree stump playfully it is almost as if we are watching ourselves flirtatiously luring our own sweetheart.

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It's been a while since I've seen such physical acting, as the stone-cold, hard-faced teens have taken over our screens with hunger games, divergent and the like. As Jennifer Lawrence is championed for her understated authenticity on camera, we almost find the other end of the authenticity spectrum with Garfield. It is refreshing to see someone bring something unique back to cinema. For me, it helped me fall in love with the previously-not-as-amazing Spider-Man. For me it was almost a Spider-Man coming of age film, both actor and character revelled in pain, relationships, conflict and morality upon choosing a 'career' they love but that is challenging.

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It wasn't only the acting that shone through for me either. It was clear that the filmmakers had set out to please the avid comic book fans as well as thinking about every aspect of scientific technicality and of art design. For example, I may have read too much into the design of Peter's bedroom but on the wall above his bed I spotted album artwork that would seem to very much reflect our conflicted hero's psyche. The XX album 'Coexist' - coincidence or genius? 

There is always a bit of a downside to going to the cinema with Kamal and not because of a lovers tiff before hand. It is that he picks apart every scientific flaw that exists in a plot line and tells me how it should happen, which sometimes rather ruins the enjoyment of ignorance. The fact that Spider-Man left him with nothing to pick out other than telling me they had it spot on, from the simultaneous impact from both sides during Gwen's fall, right down to the musical anomaly that happens at the power station, is testament to the production team's research and script development. 

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The soundtrack & sound design weren't half bad either. The song of electricity that reverberated around the cinema during the final showdown certainly played on our stereo senses. The make-up for the green goblin was brilliant, if not a little Harry-potter-esque which is definitely not a bad thing. The greatness even came down to the minute details of the comical snapping-shut of the plug socket once electron merges into OSCORPs power grid.

If there's a fault to find, it would probably be the obviousness of the set-up for Max Dillon's fall into the tank. Jamie Foxx gives an act much like that of his past performance as 'Nathaniel Ayers' (The Soloist). However, his performance as Electron was certainly applaudable, just short of brilliant. 

With the sequel's set-up of our Amazing Spider-Man being predominantly human and allowing us to get to grips with the true authenticity of Peter Parker, over his alias 'Spiderman' - I cannot wait for the amazing soul-destroying number three. I just hope it lives up to the bar of the number two because Garfield's performance really was kick-ass - well it would have to be to beat three villains in a single film!